Scholarships & Philanthropy

Arts Advocates, chartered in 1969 as the Fine Arts Society of Sarasota, Inc., is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring creativity, advancing education, and connecting the community to the arts.

We have given more than $1 million to fund scholarships, grants and community outreach programs. Each year, we award scholarships to talented students who are studying for careers in the arts.

Arts Advocates was the fortunate recipient of a $1 million legacy gift from Barbara Hintzpeter in 2019. The gift enables us to continue acquiring paintings and sculptures for our renowned collection of Sarasota Colony artists on display in the Arts Advocates Gallery and at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The grant also enables us to commission and purchase works of art by Florida artists.

The artists who lived and worked in Sarasota from the 1930s through the 1970s were essential to Sarasota becoming the arts capital of Florida’s Gulf Coast. We are gratified that we can continue to help build on that legacy and promote the arts with our collection, our programs and our philanthropy.

We hope that you will support our mission and philanthropy with a donation to our organization.